Laurence Robson – Grangetown

May 2017

DJ hangs head in shame after court hears of his child abuse images stash

A DJ hung his head in shame when Teesside’s top judge passed a jail sentence on him for his collection of child abuse images

Police who raided Laurence Robson’s home last December found he had more than 2,000 indecent images of children, some of it at the most serious level.

Prosecutor Harry Hadfield told Teesside Crown Court that Robson, 59, also had child porn videos and an extreme porn image of a woman having sex with an animal.

Mr Hadfield told the court: “He accepted in interview that he had been accessing online child abuse.

“He started doing it when he worked as a local DJ.

“He said he was sexually interested in children.”

Mr Hadfield added: “The aggravating feature is the age and vulnerability of the children.

“The collection includes moving images and there are a number of victims. It could be inferred of the discernible age and distress of the children.”

Robson pleaded guilty to three charges of making indecent photographs of children and one of possessing extreme pornography.

He admitted that he had 72 images at the most serious Level A including one movie, 52 at Level B including two movies, and 2,048 images at Level C with eight movies.

The judge ordered the destruction of Robson’s laptop computer, a desktop and a hard drive.

He also imposed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order banning indefinitely Robson’s access to the Internet and contact with children.

John Nixon, defending, said Robson was not working at the moment.

Mr Nixon added: “When he was interviewed, he said they were normal images that people get when they are sick in the head.

“He is angry with himself. He is a man of a certain age who has expressed remorse and shame at his actions after losing his partner of 22 years. He now lives alone.”

The Recorder of Middlesbrough, Judge Simon Bourne-Arton QC, told Robson: “You may well hang your head in shame before me as you did with the probation officer (during his pre-sentence report interview)

“It is not a shameful act that you did, it is a wicked act.

“Man like you are looking at images of real children who are forced to carry out intercourse from the age of nine.

“Unhappily there is a market for these kind of images from people such as you and that is why these courts always take them seriously.

“They are young, vulnerable victims, and I have to take into account the ages of the victims and what they are forced to do.

The judge added: “You have previous convictions, not for a very long time and nothing for sexual assault.

“As a result of being found in possession of these images, your relationship with your partner has ended, your family are ostracised from you and you have lost your job.”

Robson, of Derwentwater Road, Grangetown, was given a 12 months jail sentence, suspended for two years, and 30 days rehabilitation requirements.